Chrysanthemum plant named `Dreamy Tracy`

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Dreamy Tracy particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type, with 4 to 6 layers of ray florets; light yellow ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 54 to 70 mm when fully opened; branching pattern is spreading and prolific; natural season flower date of August 27 to 29 when planting rooted cuttings on June 17 to 21 in Salinas, Calif., and of September 23 to 28 when planting rooted cuttings June 15 to 18 in Hightstown, N.J.; plant height of 20 to 33 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength with no growth regulators; and durable, uniform performance.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Dreamy Tracy.

Dreamy Tracy, identified as 9631 (85-095B01), is a product of a mutationinduction program. The new cultivar was discovered and selected byinventor Leon Glicenstein on Apr. 9, 1992 in a controlled environment inSalinas, Calif. as one flowering plant within a flowering blockestablished as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposedas unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 1750 rads in Fort Myers, Fla.on Nov. 7, 1991. The irradiated parent cultivar was the cultivar Tracy,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,609 and described as a daisy gardenmum with white flower color.

The irradiation program resulting in Dreamy Tracy had as its primaryobjective the expansion of color ranges of the parent cultivar Tracy.The irradiation program comprised irradiation of cuttings of the parentcultivar at irradiation levels of 1500, 1750 and 2000 rads. A total of1101 cuttings harvested from a total of 225 irradiated plants wereplanted on Feb. 24, 10 and 3, 1992, respectively. Of these, 9 initialselections were made, which selections were then revegetated andreflowered. Three consecutive flowerings resulted in discarding 7 of theoriginal 9 selections on Dec. 16, 1992. The remaining selections weremaintained as PIs (Possible Introductions) and further trialed inSalinas, Calif., Hightstown, N.J. and Leamington, Ontario, Canada,ultimately resulting in the decision to introduce one selection asDreamy Tracy, and the other selection as Bright Tracy, disclosed inpending application Ser. No. 08/516,920.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Dreamy Tracy was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in Juneof 1992 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by techniciansworking under supervision of Leon Glicenstein.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Dreamy Tracy are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Dreamy Tracy has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in controlled open areas in Salinas, Calif., and in Hightstown,N.J. Rooted cuttings were established in soil and maintained outdoorsunder the natural temperature and daylength prevailing during Junethrough October.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Dreamy Tracy, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type, with 4 to 6 layers of ray florets.

3. Light yellow ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 54 to 70 mm when fully opened.

5. Branching pattern is spreading and prolific.

6. Natural season flower date of August 27 to 29 when planting rootedcuttings on June 17 to 21 in Salinas, Calif., and of September 23 to 28when planting rooted cuttings June 15 to 18 in Hightstown, N.J.

7. Plant height of 20 to 33 cm when grown in fall under naturaldaylength with no growth regulators.

8. Durable, uniform performance.

The accompanying photographic drawing is a color photograph of DreamyTracy grown as a pinched garden mum under natural season outsideconditions in Salinas, Calif., with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type. Plants were grown outside anddug and transplanted into 15 cm pots at flowering time for photographypurposes.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Dreamy Tracy is the parent cultivar Tracy. Dreamy Tracydiffers from Tracy in ray floret color (light yellow compared to thewhite ray floret color of Tracy), and Dreamy Tracy consistently flowers3 to 7 days earlier than Tracy, and has a slightly shorter plant heightby 2 to 4 cm. These latter differences also distinguish Dreamy Tracyfrom sibling cultivar Bright Tracy.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a pinched garden mum grown outdoors in Salinas,Calif. on Aug. 27, 1994.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Dreamy Tracy.

Commercial.--Flat daisy garden mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--54 to 70 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Light yellow.

Color (upper surface).--5D.

Color (under surface).--5D.

Shape.--Cross-section concave, longitudinal section of outer ray floretsslightly convex.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--14B.

Color (immature).--14B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; moderate pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--20 to 33 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength with nogrowth regulators.

Branching pattern.--Spreading and prolific.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Small, lobed, slightly serrated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant namedDreamy Tracy, as described and illustrated.